The statins are the best-selling prescription drugs in the United States. That's no surprise, since heart disease is America's leading cause of death, and the statins can reduce the risk of heart attacks and other major cardiac events by up to 37%, with the greatest benefit going to the men at highest risk.

All seven statin drugs act in the same way, by inhibiting the liver enzyme that's responsible for cholesterol production; when the enzyme is blocked, liver cells make less cholesterol, and blood levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol fall. But the drugs have another benefit: as cholesterol production falls, ...

 

When sildenafil (Viagra) was introduced in 1998, it revolutionized the treatment of male sexual dysfunction. For one thing, this important but intensely personal issue came out from under the covers, as men began to approach sexual woes as medical problems, not personal failings. For another, the most common problem got a new and more accurate name, as erectile dysfunction (ED) replaced impotence, a term that's derived from the Latin for "loss of power." Above all, sildenafil and its rivals, vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis), provide effective and safe treatment for about 70% of men with ED.

It's encouraging progress, ...

In an ideal world, virtue would be its own reward. In our world, though, virtue often benefits from a little help. Many of us learned to make our beds for a small allowance. As teens, we picked up a few bucks mowing the lawn or shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor. And when we finally joined the work force, we hoped to earn a raise (if not a super-sized bonus) for a job well done.

In an ideal world, medical care would not depend on financial rewards. In our world, though, doctors work hard to earn more and, sad to ...

Q. My husband was just released from the hospital after a mild heart attack. He's never been much of a drinker, but now he wants to have wine with dinner every night. We've both heard that wine is good for the heart, but I'm worried that it may not be safe so soon after a heart attack. I hope you can either reassure me or restrain my husband.

A. Many, many medical studies have linked alcohol to a reduced risk of heart attacks, particularly in men over 60 and others at heightened risk. Although red wine gets most of the ...